Second-order gradient microphone system with baffles for teleconferencing

Abstract

An audio device including a housing having a side facing outwardly of the housing, the housing further having a first mounting position disposed on the side. The side has a first portion and a second portion, the first portion opposite the second portion relative to the first mounting position. The audio device also includes a first omnidirectional microphone disposed on the first portion. The audio device also includes a second microphone disposed on the first mounting position. The second microphone may be a second-order microphone. The second-order microphone has a first-order microphone disposed within a first platform mounted a distance from the first mounting position. The audio device also includes a first speaker disposed on the second portion. The first speaker is further disposed such that an audio output of the first speaker falls within a null of the second microphone.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An audio device comprising:
 a housing comprising a side facing outwardly of the housing, the housing further comprising a first mounting position disposed on the side, 
 wherein the side comprises a first portion and a second portion, the first portion opposite the second portion relative to the first mounting position; 
 a first omnidirectional microphone disposed on the first portion; 
 a second microphone disposed on the first mounting position, the second microphone comprising a second-order microphone, the second-order microphone comprising a first-order microphone disposed within a first platform mounted a distance from the first mounting position; and 
 a first speaker disposed on the second portion, wherein the first speaker is further disposed such that an audio output of the first speaker falls within a null of the second microphone. 
 
     
     
       2. The audio device of  claim 1 , wherein the first mounting position is inset within the housing relative to a surface of the side. 
     
     
       3. The audio device of  claim 1 , wherein the first mounting position protrudes outwardly from the housing relative to a surface of the side. 
     
     
       4. The audio device of  claim 1 , wherein the audio device further comprises:
 a second speaker disposed on a third portion of the side, opposite the first speaker; and 
 a third microphone disposed on a second mounting position disposed on the side, wherein: 
 the second mounting position is opposite the first mounting position relative to the first portion of the side; 
 the third microphone comprises an additional second-order microphone, 
 the additional second-order microphone comprises an additional first-order microphone disposed within a second platform mounted the distance away from the second mounting position, and 
 the second speaker is further disposed such that a second audio output of the second speaker falls within a second null of the third microphone. 
 
     
     
       5. The audio device of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a second omnidirectional microphone disposed on the first portion. 
 
     
     
       6. The audio device of  claim 5 , wherein:
 the first omnidirectional microphone and the second omnidirectional microphone are used for frequencies above about four kilohertz, and 
 the second microphone and the third microphone are used for frequencies below about four kilohertz. 
 
     
     
       7. The audio device of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the first mounting position is at a first acute angle relative to the side; 
 the first mounting position forms a first inset disposed inwardly within the housing; 
 the second mounting position is at a second acute angle relative to the side; 
 the second mounting position forms a second inset disposed inwardly within the housing; 
 the first platform is about parallel to the first mounting position; and 
 the second platform is about parallel to the second mounting position. 
 
     
     
       8. The audio device of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the first acute angle is between about positive five degrees and about positive forty-five degrees; 
 the second acute angle is between about negative five degrees and about negative forty-five degrees. 
 
     
     
       9. The audio device of  claim 7 , wherein the first acute angle is congruent with the second acute angle. 
     
     
       10. The audio device of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the first mounting position is at a first acute angle relative to the side; 
 the first mounting position is disposed outwardly from the housing; 
 the second mounting position is at a second acute angle relative to the side; 
 the second mounting position is disposed outwardly from the housing; 
 the first platform is about parallel to the first mounting position; and 
 the second platform is about parallel to the second mounting position. 
 
     
     
       11. The audio device of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a processor configured to: 
 compare a first signal strength at the second microphone to a second signal strength at the third microphone by implementing a maximum energy algorithm to determine a greater signal strength, wherein a greater signal is determined; and 
 further process the greater signal. 
 
     
     
       12. The audio device of  claim 1 , wherein the housing further comprises a swivel mount that allows rotation of the housing with respect to a surface upon which the housing rests. 
     
     
       13. The audio device of  claim 5 , comprising a microphone array including the first omnidirectional microphone and the second omnidirectional microphone. 
     
     
       14. The audio device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an optical camera connected to the housing. 
 
     
     
       15. The audio device of  claim 14  wherein the audio device comprises an audio-visual conferencing system. 
     
     
       16. A method of processing audio signals, comprising:
 receiving, at an audio device, sound signals as input signals, wherein the audio device comprises an omnidirectional microphone and a first second-order microphone; 
 using the omnidirectional microphone for frequencies above about four kilohertz to generate a high pass output; 
 using the first second-order microphone for frequencies below about four kilohertz to generate a low pass output; 
 summing the high pass output and the low pass output to produce a net output; and 
 processing the net output. 
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16 , wherein the audio device further comprises an additional second-order microphone, wherein the first second-order microphone faces a first direction at a first acute angle with respect to a side of the audio device, and wherein the additional second-order microphone faces a second direction at a second acute angle with respect to the side of the audio device, and wherein the method further comprises:
 comparing a first signal strength of the audio signals received at the first second-order microphone to a second signal strength of the audio signals received at the additional second-order microphone; 
 selecting one of the audio signals received at the first second-order microphone and the audio signals received at the additional second-order microphone as a greater signal; and 
 wherein receiving and processing the audio signals below about four kilohertz is performed using the greater signal. 
 
     
     
       18. A method of manufacturing comprising:
 manufacturing a housing comprising a side facing outwardly of the housing, the housing further comprising a first mounting position disposed on the side, 
 wherein the side comprises a first portion and a second portion, the first portion opposite the second portion relative to the first mounting position; 
 connecting a first omnidirectional microphone to the first portion; 
 connecting a second microphone to the first mounting position, the second microphone comprising a second-order microphone, the second-order microphone comprising a first-order microphone disposed within a first platform mounted a distance from the first mounting position; and 
 connecting a first speaker disposed on the second portion, wherein the first speaker is further disposed such that an audio output of the first speaker falls within a null of the second microphone. 
 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 insetting the first mounting position within the housing relative to a surface of the side. 
 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 setting the first mounting position to protrude outwardly from the housing relative to a surface of the side.